Standard My First Attempt DIY Tapu Bulu GX Deck (Vikabulu/Decidueye GX)

[FubukiChun]

Greeting everyone,

I am a new player to Pokemon trading card game. I just started playing it and already found lots of fun in it.
Recently I bought two starter decks from a mini store with extreme cheap price. (closing in a few weeks)

They are the Decidueye GX and Tapu Bulu GX deck. (already the latest deck I can find in that store) I know they are pretty outdated since it was out last year. But still I tried to customize them into one deck. I will list out my first attempt of building here. Hope u guys could leave any comment for me. Thank you very much.

I guess the strategy of it is to have Vikavolt on the beach supporting Tapu Bulu. And I added Decidueye GX for extra damage in it. (Since they are all cards I got)

Pokemon
3 - Rowlet
2 - Dartrix
2 - Decidueye GX

3 - Grubbin
2 - Charjabug
2 - Vikavolt

2 - Tapu Bulu GX
2 - Tapu Koko

Trainer card
4 - Rare Candy
3 - Nest Ball
3 - Ultra Ball
2 - Switch
2 - Pokemon Catcher
1 - Energy Recycler

4 - Hau
2 -Professor Kukui
1 - Hala
1 - Lillie
1 - Team Skull Grunt

Energy
9 - Grass Energy
7 - Lightning Energy
1 - Double Colorless Energy

Please tell me any cards in the list is not so essential for the deck. I will try my best to replace them although I don't have much replacement though. Maybe I will buy some booster for building too.

Thank you for wasting your time reading this post written from a noob. Since English is not my first language, I do spend quite some time searching and typing. I really want to join the community and discuss together.

I hope I won't get beaten hard by my friend's metagross GX deck. Those energy moving are so strong.

Lastly thank you for your time and attention.

 

[John InCENAroar]

Well, as a player who mainly uses Tapu Bulu GX, I think that Decidueye, at least in the numbers described, is not at all relevant or necessary. Bulu plays by streaming Vikavolt on to the bench as fast as possible, and using its ability to load a Tapu Bulu GX up with energy, to then have that Bulu discard it all for LOADS of damage. Then, you use Energy Recycler (found in Guardians Rising or Forbidden Light as a Secret Rare) to put the energy back in the deck to be brought out again by the Vikavolt. With that in mind, Decidueye really just clogs up the bench leaving little room for Vikavolt. In addition to that, if you are using Rare Candy, then it would probably negate the need for the Charjabug (or Dartrix, if you keep the Decidueye) in a high count. You could probably cut 1 of each or both of the 'Bugs, especially with 4 Candies. If Metagross is giving you trouble, it may also be worth looking into Max Potion (found in Guardians Rising, along with Tapu Lele GX, which is arguably the best card in the game right now.) Max Potion allows you to completely heal Bulu at the cost of discarding all energy attached to it, making it great for staying alive longer, since it doesn't take as much damage. Additionally, you can use Fighting Fury Belt (found in BREAKpoint and rotating out of the standard format in September) to add more total HP to Bulu or Aether Paradise Conservation Area (found in Guardians Rising) to reduce damage taken by Bulu. Both of those items should prevent Metagross from knocking you out in one attack, if it has a Choice Band attached. Also, it appears that your draw supporters (mostly Hau) could use some improvement as well. Suitable replacements for it would be Cynthia (found in Ultra Prism), Copycat, Tate and Liza, TV Reporter (all found in the newest set, Celestial Storm), N (found most recently in Fates Collide, which is rotating from standard in September), or Professor Sycamore (found in BREAKpoint, rotating in September). Obviously some of these cards may be harder to find than others, especially the last two, but all of them are better than Hau.

I hope this helped to some degree in terms of pointing you in the right direction as to what you may have to purchase or what you have, and I hope you have good luck nagainst your friend in the future!

 

[FubukiChun]

Well, as a player who mainly uses Tapu Bulu GX, I think that Decidueye, at least in the numbers described, is not at all relevant or necessary. Bulu plays by streaming Vikavolt on to the bench as fast as possible, and using its ability to load a Tapu Bulu GX up with energy, to then have that Bulu discard it all for LOADS of damage. Then, you use Energy Recycler (found in Guardians Rising or Forbidden Light as a Secret Rare) to put the energy back in the deck to be brought out again by the Vikavolt. With that in mind, Decidueye really just clogs up the bench leaving little room for Vikavolt. In addition to that, if you are using Rare Candy, then it would probably negate the need for the Charjabug (or Dartrix, if you keep the Decidueye) in a high count. You could probably cut 1 of each or both of the 'Bugs, especially with 4 Candies. If Metagross is giving you trouble, it may also be worth looking into Max Potion (found in Guardians Rising, along with Tapu Lele GX, which is arguably the best card in the game right now.) Max Potion allows you to completely heal Bulu at the cost of discarding all energy attached to it, making it great for staying alive longer, since it doesn't take as much damage. Additionally, you can use Fighting Fury Belt (found in BREAKpoint and rotating out of the standard format in September) to add more total HP to Bulu or Aether Paradise Conservation Area (found in Guardians Rising) to reduce damage taken by Bulu. Both of those items should prevent Metagross from knocking you out in one attack, if it has a Choice Band attached. Also, it appears that your draw supporters (mostly Hau) could use some improvement as well. Suitable replacements for it would be Cynthia (found in Ultra Prism), Copycat, Tate and Liza, TV Reporter (all found in the newest set, Celestial Storm), N (found most recently in Fates Collide, which is rotating from standard in September), or Professor Sycamore (found in BREAKpoint, rotating in September). Obviously some of these cards may be harder to find than others, especially the last two, but all of them are better than Hau.

I hope this helped to some degree in terms of pointing you in the right direction as to what you may have to purchase or what you have, and I hope you have good luck nagainst your friend in the future!

Thank you for your reply. I am so happy to receive a comment from you.

I do agree that Decidueye isn't quite relevant for the deck. I will try replacing that line soon I have better suitable line for this deck.
Now I do understand more about the playstyle of this deck.

I went to look up the item list and agree that Max potion fit Tapu Bulu's playstyle so much. I will try to add a few into the deck.

Lastly for Hau, even my friend said that it was a pretty crappy one for drawing support in my deck.

Thank you for helping me build up my deck better. It does help me out a lot in every degrees and direction.

 

[Wolfshadow1121]

Greeting everyone,

I am a new player to Pokemon trading card game. I just started playing it and already found lots of fun in it.
Recently I bought two starter decks from a mini store with extreme cheap price. (closing in a few weeks)

They are the Decidueye GX and Tapu Bulu GX deck. (already the latest deck I can find in that store) I know they are pretty outdated since it was out last year. But still I tried to customize them into one deck. I will list out my first attempt of building here. Hope u guys could leave any comment for me. Thank you very much.

I guess the strategy of it is to have Vikavolt on the beach supporting Tapu Bulu. And I added Decidueye GX for extra damage in it. (Since they are all cards I got)

Pokemon
3 - Rowlet
2 - Dartrix
2 - Decidueye GX

3 - Grubbin
2 - Charjabug
2 - Vikavolt

2 - Tapu Bulu GX
2 - Tapu Koko

Trainer card
4 - Rare Candy
3 - Nest Ball
3 - Ultra Ball
2 - Switch
2 - Pokemon Catcher
1 - Energy Recycler

4 - Hau
2 -Professor Kukui
1 - Hala
1 - Lillie
1 - Team Skull Grunt

Energy
9 - Grass Energy
7 - Lightning Energy
1 - Double Colorless Energy

Please tell me any cards in the list is not so essential for the deck. I will try my best to replace them although I don't have much replacement though. Maybe I will buy some booster for building too.

Thank you for wasting your time reading this post written from a noob. Since English is not my first language, I do spend quite some time searching and typing. I really want to join the community and discuss together.

I hope I won't get beaten hard by my friend's metagross GX deck. Those energy moving are so strong.

Lastly thank you for your time and attention.

So, I do not play Tapu Bulu GX nor have I seen it in action. So I will not be able to offer you deep advice, but I can offer you some advice that is basically standard for all good decks. First of all, (I may be wrong) It seems like you only have 59 cards in your deck? Anyways, let's start looking at your pokemon line. Looks good, since I will never convince you to get rid of the Decidueye GX, though it would help quite a bit, and you would only need one more Tapu Bulu GX. But I do believe you need some pokemon draw support. It depends on your style of play what type of draw support you want to use, but here are the best ones. Oranguru SUM - This card has the ability instruct, which allows you to draw cards until you have 3 cards in your hand. I would say Oranguru is not very viable for this deck as you normally play 2, and your bench space is small enough already. Octillery BKT - This is a stage one, so you only play a 1-1 line. Its ability is Abyssal Hand, which allows you to draw cards until you have 5 cards in hand. More draw power than Oranguru, but also a stage 1. Zoroark GX - This one is my personal favorite (though many don't agree with me!) It is a stage one, it has the ability trade. Once during your turn, before you attack, you may discard a card from your hand, if you do, draw 2 cards. It can also serve as a backup attacker, with an attack that costs one double colorless energy, and does twenty damage for each of your pokemon in play, so up to 120 damage, with a choice band, 150. I think this one is ideal for your deck, as it can make energy go into the discard, powering up Bulu faster. What to take out for one of these? A team skull grunt and a Hala.


Ok, so that's the pokemon line, so now we gotta talk about your supporter line. First of all, if you can get your hands on them, 3 Guzmas would be amazing. You could probably take out one grass energy and two lightning energy. Next, replace Lillie for a Brigette, if possible. If they're too much money than Pokemon Fan Club is a viable alternative. You won't be able to find space for more draw supporters unless you remove the Decidueye GX, but for now, replace the four Hau for 2 Professor Sycamore, and 2 N. Replace the Professor Kukuis with 2 Cynthia. If they're too expensive, use Shanua. Now let's talk about items. Turn the switches into float stones. Turn the Pokemon Catchers into Fighting Fury Belts. Turn a Nest Ball and Rare Candy into Field Blowers. Take out a Rowlet for a Super Rod. And make that missing card a Ultra Ball. From there, you just need to get one more bulu.